POVEVOCVGGTUVVEVIGIGGGaGSE NUNS, WIVES, AND MOTHERS WOMEN AND THE REFORMATION IN GERMANY Merry Wiesner Ina famous esa. hstonnn argues persasively that tere was no Hallam Re aestce for women, tht the cultura! Nowerng the fourteen had iecath ‘centuries searecyalfecied woes ves. According this perspective, hi Alike he hai Renalsnnce — se sntcentecenry Germ Helv tade at apprdable difference wo women, proving te lo of sme while ad ‘eral allecting that of ers, She les hor cosine principally onthe wr Ings ofthe Protestant rlorners as cla of women hemsets, ail ols. ‘Onthe eve and durtn the Presto Reormntn, German society placed social ad poli retitens on women What nipednnents cowed posible enue of ndvancement ue women” Moning beyond these hndances Wieser Shetches neatly he impact of rel change on woe accord evs tus n thee eategorie' ae memes ffs lights ede gle oF a is important vo endcratand lr the ecliga traafertation ren Clb fo Frotetant marked the lives of these varius RSP “The Protests closed conven, forcing nuns and Lay sisters co fn f themselves or mary: The Reformation altered the ves of eer somen 3 al, ether single or warticd. How di the etormers stow marge an he vl ‘honahipbetncen wile and lbs? Were meme any es subordmate i the Protestant denominations tha ow Catboen? Society regard reigns raion ean er and ao relormersdecssed watiages ahi ch pase be GISCGPIYPIVGIIIIIIGIIIIe longs odes respon, Wha, hen rasa Freesat ww do Inuband, to whom she owed uedlence, was Calc? There lflerece to be sure, beeen the Weas of Protestant theololans com he notre of women hele proper place, ad their duties, onthe one hand. fd the wansaton of those esto sta practic, onthe other hd. Prete tan states passe laws modiyng the bekasor of women tn matiage and ne lipion, Wiesner righ stresses that women reacted to the Heformatin; they ‘vere not jst ated upon, How did women — both aristocrats and common frs—contnbue to the religous developments sweeping Geran? Overall {id he Reformation itoprove the status or aitwation of any ponpe of women? Tham many ways anaes: event the the wowd “Geena” when ds sang the ster entry A ha ne madern.ay Eas nd West Germans ‘vere pottxaly part ofthe Holy Ran mur, aoe confederann of era Thanked ses ann ony hogs rh ee pera oh termonal sates Ts tes hore ue be alten ttn reaiy they weve que dependent and len pure poses 9 oppo tonto the emperor Indeed the pobtnal divest at lack of song ce a thom were etercimpenattothe ea sce he Pret Reforma {umn Gxrmany Had Lather en rence eo wa probably have been sun cnc by te powell yma he he ous Recause of es divert std of he Hermann m Cv aren fed to one parca tent ne pric ipe of government, sah asthe re ttipenal ones Thshnted hss sll whee arta the pt ofthe Re {exam on men for mole pica a eer a cleus change ied dependang on het aterrry was uk hy 4st cnc 3 ableman {she Male aes nthe Reloroann oe cane fom vers eth tre sate prsence or bene ls Unies Ma atea Wa a MO oor “When exponing the wnat of chgus change on nc, homes these polit and istntonal ators ave et as pana Exeep tra few vehle Ione ho ried lertones wl Hee sans ere il ts, we Hl Toomal pola vice any tenor ofthe enpate They dl no ore seve ot ‘ay counel. and wien sbbestee were under the dine! com ols mach ffl nn couldn atend universes ad hus da nox come toc oa fen ehguus dese dough len diologealaunng. Ther oe athe Reloefap ee lone hi oa PPUCVCVUGCVUVVVVVVVUVGGGE 290 ARLy MODERN EUROPE tin wat dtm yw abled pale ar — pl ehh cee irre scmtedtes AM ge sug ned ye psn thyme meg rp reer Ereips change they eraoe-ptona nes dton es tts ie nes med oe a En fer pap ef wotog women vn ek eed tase age SF Nomen ns ah ie ly tee WOPTPGUGVIIIIVVIIIIIVS a, Wht Blovens Wiener 291 tng Protx religous change meant both the losing of he howses nd neg to ofthe vlve Sd wenhof thee the had bn ng. The Pesan se lormersencoutged uns and tert lave thi houts nd ary, wa ash ‘ort concenng thee foray tthe Coens, cmpanng i oUt Trot Some consent cepted the Peat mestge and wry ove op thetrhauer and and oy and ero authors The man renee the vows and these who were eto fed hacbends morte, while the ots te tamed th mi or ound wap to supp ums onthe ou On ces ot cept the ne regun but sgh the ees of pol power ‘nd gu up ther holdings thas women sen ontmocd hong oper alr he Retort, yngio remain lg commun, though hy ten ato tly on her amis for suppor In sme cues the mins wee pens peson ‘hereteno record however, of wbat happened wo mes of se women Former pestssnd monks could become paste new Pca chuches, bu reruns ha no licen he new church sete ary convent, pana those wth hgh standards fearing nd mor: uy snd whore members wetenabewomen women fom wey patna Eales fought the repous chang Amal example lhe ihe 5 Coracon vent im Serember. whe mune wx al on wey arctic ‘hose pan reaming had sped hough Cemany The sbbess tthe tine of he Rlonmation was Chara Pacerme,9 str ofthe humanist Wilt! Meckbeer ad herein scomphshed Lia 1925 he Naren ter coune ode al he tse acs four of thea me hse {heey dslved thems mmetel, but bth hosed. The oun sofia cpsenaes fo ty @o PEE Re ee tegon a program of winidaion The women, dened conkssors snd athe commotion, wee led obs Pees sem fos vnese che se tans hal iieaky bung ood peopl venened to burnhe coven te ones tthe wal and ang pane songs when thy herd the wus singing hans noted in her memo tat women len led the atacks ond wee tnoa ter opponent uns Thee ames pyc cae hd trout the convents scene of crying and wong waned Oy many Naren bers. The coun qestonei exch nn cpr we ish had ony com Has, hoping nd some who would lave volun and lily concaed lal thconent’ nd: None ofthese messes was success ad he coun {Senate convent lone abouglovade he hing nel ew nes. ‘helt man died in 1590, Chant’ tress and he yay of the nuns her wre psp exraor ‘an.buttherabeses ako pub delnded ter fa Elasbeth Cougs the 22bes of Oberveselcanven publ tac pith Lueransin 1950 A though he denigrated her ox work ahaa poor worn she hay bel teckin er lngoge when erlang te ore The ne coangeal pel esslveited epg ower wah er abominable pronto Baccus Cod tilt ober oichnes any longer are wh chose eve conversational published works explining heiactonsas ell tha Elsabth Zen bleed ber eters het mater4% t wr an EARLY MODERS 6 ROPE cexplanng wy se hod lft he ons 3 xh tee were ep Soe see gPRxchan autores ten, whe pee enone that he aur “Sine deaded otro the conen Even fe fret mans dil pb Erne Monee te secure hen come pat of Menon heey ver ca women fd he conven sores ora een et vat Yate von Bora nd ep ir aura wee smughed ou fe com ca angi ae they ha sey made cone wh Ler. The ct hath TOAD Gerth te en wap fern tae aed dma Sane Sony aed Katherine marge so Lathe assured hat wou bee tod many nes. fun ander lede ote Cathe Rorsven" ok the oppose eston rm he Peston te ae of ely. cacourgng Young women reenebey th pens and ret convent (0 exapesanped mares. Ae ae eth fox eacourge mained women ole the histo the J Reet te preReformavon eon rgngtusbnds ole hei wes teter coment tey wished "Comer feloragon chuch wanted ll nal gous snl da seed Nowe od provided odes fo wore who waned oa ‘Give spool te wasn ema eqlent ef thesis. The church ao Pres Beges. Frpeucan trove abd aber sters who had alvaye Pred sbowtSomerfat fel x worked ovine commun) to ape at Met erclncr and pce tenseve under the det cool of shop. The “TORS conned dl ot yay sb ek However The Begs an Jo" Simple ed otaline header eos, ho wanted 9 ares pe Beganae and um tino cocterel house of Poor Clares® The (rekon St fom ese member laheeny> ete lames pad tthe Seen or ep eeing the ci gs ad aoonal eres. The Selse peste ake achbshep a Colne te adnan eventual the sae sne heute women nee cently Joveed hey were alowel BOP amo er todon acuce In sme sna he women were gh tethc mde os power srg awe the aia and the xy coe at iy mee Sl Seto appeal the cys pe in anal presto sete iow tees pegs Pesta they Yo not bee JR ed them svar ie eae and self pla over 2c teow mat lhe wore in stexncenury Germany were NOMS or te el egous bat yomen who edn arash st ona Site Rtonsuen ws en shared wah thet members fhe ae pono lwomen stale eh Pecan ket # Kaan Cle pn et foun 108 Se Wes. Abr Mian 3 “Tey etd the new ealangs pela tom 2 oxy pulp tead er loked ac roadsides ataching the pope, and hsened to uavelng preachers sacking ‘ebay andthe monasenes “The reformers communicated ther ideas vo women i 2 vanity of ways “Women who could ead German might have ead Luthers wo marnage eases Teany numer of Preston marnage esas dhe fi of which was published fh Augsburg n 1522, They could fave read acts against celibacy by many te former. which varied widely inter level of tupetaion and cries of con- tent if. Both Protestant and Catholic authors woe books of commonplaces Tnvexamples wich contained merous releences tropes aed improper fe ‘ale conduct tributed to classes suthor, the church thers and more een “The vst majonty of woren could not read bu eeved the message orally and visually Sermons, partcularymarioge sermons bu also regular Sunday ser rho, emphaszed th belie of marnage and Ue preger roles of husband and ‘Me Sermons at womens unealsteszed thee ety. devon aml, and rust tn God throug vat ral and tebulaions and set up models for oer women follow Vernal dramas about marrage replced pre Reformation ply about fg mares sallesing death rather than losing the vty. Woodeuts de diced plows warned women (het manial satus 93s dear ecause marred omen wore thei har eovered) hstenng to seems reading the Dbl, Proes- ‘Bn porphssporayed the pope wih he whore of abn, which commun ied message about both the pope and about women, Cahotepamphiet> showed Lutheras a hal glen, criven only by hs sexual and bodily ord. Popular stones aboct others home Mle and Rash atudes toward fale pimycteulated by word of mouth "foe Protestant efrmers didnot break sharply wh cadiion in thei ess shout women. For both Luther and Calon, women were ceated by God and Could be sive through lath: spnvally women and men were equal. In every tet espect. however, women were (be ubordinatto men. Women subjec- on was erent in their ery beng and wae present fm cretion — inthis the telormers agreed with Aristo? and the casscal tad. twas made more brutal and Rash, however because f Ee respons fo the Fall —n his Liter and Calvin pied wh patric uadiuon and he hols and humanist predecessors “There oppess wo be sme novely te der reector of Cathlie eachings om the mens of eelbacy and championing of marrage athe proper sae for llin~ dist Though hey ingest on so much ese af Frowestan reformers gic eh php (132241 "ler esas, Chi ach